The Ballad
by iftheworldwasonfire
Summary: For speedsters, time keeps dragging on.


**Hi there! This fic was inspired by the song "Ballad of Barry Allen" (also known as "Seems So Slow") by Jim's Big Ego, and there are some lyrics in there, though they are out of order and I'm not using all of them. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Young Justice, and the song "Ballad of Barry Allen" and the lyrics of it belong to Jim's Big Ego.**

Robin sat in his room at Mount Justice, pouring over pages of complicated equations that he was supposed to be solving, but he couldn't concentrate. His brain refused point-blank to concentrate, and no matter how hard he tried, he just couldn't focus. His attention span seemed to be minuscule at the moment.

_Heh...sounds kind of like Wally..._the masked teen thought as he tapped his pen against his desk.

_"I've got time to think about the beauty of a thousand variations..."_

Robin started, his pen falling out of his hand and clattering onto the ground, as he registered the haunting melody and the words that were sung. _What the heck?_ he thought to himself. _Who's singing? There's no one here...no one...except for Wally. _Robin quickly made a decision, and opened his door, walking swiftly down the hallway towards the kitchen.

_"Of the beating of the wing..."_

Another line was sung, the voice crisp and clear, causing Robin to start to sprint down the hall. As he burst into the kitchen, more of the haunting song rang out.

_"Of a hummingbird suspended in the aspic of the world...moving slower the molasses..."_

"KF!" Robin bellowed, nervous about the whole thing.

"Hmm...?" The red-haired speedster's unfocused gaze snapped over to Robin's masked eyes. "What?"

"Was that you singing? Are you okay?" Robin asked as he scrutinized his best friend's face. Kid Flash sure didn't look fine. His eyes were lackluster and downcast, his normally smiling mouth was twisted into a small frown, and he sat slumped in the chair he was sitting in.

"Yeah, I'm...fine," Kid Flash replied, and his lips turned up into a wan smile. All of a sudden, Robin's comm. link buzzed.

_"Robin?"_ Aqualad's deep voice asked. _"Is Kid Flash with you?"_

"Yeah," the Boy Wonder answered. "He's here. Why, what's wrong?"

_"The Central City Rogues have destroyed the bridge by using bombs. The League are all away on different missions, so they asked that we handle it."_

"Got it," Robin confirmed, and glanced at Kid Flash. "Ready?"

"You know I am," he replied, snapping his goggles over his eyes before Robin climbed onto his back, and the duo sped off.

It wasn't until later that Robin realized Kid Flash hadn't answered his question.

* * *

><p>"Get the civilians!" Robin yelled, and team quickly sprang into action. Kaldur and Superboy ushered children and adults alike off of the damaged bridge as Miss Martian telepathically moved debris and rubble off of stranded civilians.<p>

"Is that all of them?" Artemis asked the masked boy a few minutes later, watching as the team caught their breath.

"I think s-" he started to answer, but his words were cut short by a piercing, high-pitched scream. The two teens whipped around just in time to see a blonde, teenage girl lose her footing and slip off the edge of the bridge, plummeting down to the waters below as her fingers desperately tried to grasp anything to keep her from falling.

"No!" Robin yelled, but it was too, late; the girl was falling, and there was nothing they could do about it.

A red and yellow blur streaked past him and flew off of the edge of the bridge, almost too fast to be seen.

"KID FLASH!" Artemis screamed, her eyes wide.

_"As I'm off to catch the girl...who is falling of the bridge..."_

The whole team gathered around the jagged edge of the bridge, watching as Kid Flash sprinted down one of the supports of the bridge, wrapping one of his arms around her waist as he quickly turned around, slipping slightly, and running back up.

All of this took maybe two seconds.

Robin heard Kid Flash sing another few lines.

_"And I'm there before she knows it...I'll be gone before she sees me...got my hand around her waist...I pull her back to safety..."_

Kid Flash made sure the girl, who was stark white and seemed absolutely _petrified_, was alright, before turning to leave.

_"By the time she knows what's happened...there will be someone else who needs me...'cause time keeps dragging on..."_

Before anyone could ask the speedster any questions, before they could talk to him, before they could even blink, he was gone, leaving a huge cloud of dust behind.

Robin could hear his voice as it faded, the words lingering.

_"And on...and on...and on...time keeps dragging on...time keeps dragging on..."_

**Eh...the plot bunny was gnawing at my brain, so I figured what the heck, I should write this.**

**Reviews?**

**~lilmissf**


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